Try as you might, you can’t always throw a strike every single time. At some point you’re gonna need to hit your spares. Especially if you’re a beginner and you’re still perfecting your technique.
Hitting a spare is a whole different ballgame as compared to trying to get a strike on your first ball. When it comes to knocking down spares, it’s a different playing field, and you may well want to take a different tactic than you would if you were going for a strike.
This requires adjustments to your starting position and target, but for many bowlers it can also mean a switch in equipment: the spare bowling ball.
You can either go for something lighter, so you can hit the pin with more speed and oomf, or you can pick an aggressive bowling ball that will curve as it gets to the pins. It’s a great way to make your game playing more interesting.
We’ve been looking at some of the best spare bowling balls that are out on the market at the moment, and we’ve handpicked our top 5 favorites to show you. And since we’re only showing you 5, we’re going to concentrate on ones that roll straight rather than ones that hook.
But we get that choosing your spare ball is something that you want to get right the first time. So to that end, after our product reviews, we’ve also got a handy buying guide for you which basically walks you through everything you might want to think about before you buy.
After that we’ve got another section for you where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
Top 5 Best Spare Bowling Balls
OUR TOP PICK
We love the graphics on this beauty. Sleek black, with a bright red black widow spider emblazoned the other side of the finger holes, sitting in it’s creepy web, waiting to strike (pardon the pun!).
The image is actually embedded into the very surface of the bowling ball, so you don’t have to worry about it fading with use over time.
You can also buy it with a matching cup, which functions as it’s stand, so you can put it out on display at your home rather than hide it away in your bowling bag.
Of course, it’s got a lot more going for it than just how cool it looks.
Hammer is a big brand in the bowling world, and their black widow range is somewhat legendary.
And this spare ball has a symmetric weight block core, which makes for fantastic straight motion down the lane with negligible chance of a hook.
The coverstock is a nice, smooth polyester with a high polish finish. So you get a nice, smooth glide all the way to the pin.
The Amazon link will take you to a 15 pound version of this ball, which is a nice weight for a spare bowling ball. But just so you know, Amazon also has this exact same bowling ball in other weights besides, both lighter and heavier.
It’s also available in other color styles.
Pros
- Looks amazing
- Great on dry lanes
- Polyester coverstock
- Symmetrical core
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price
- Not so hot on oily bowling lanes
EDITORS CHOICE
If you’re looking for something a little more affordable, you need look no further.
This ball is priced at entry level. Which makes sense, because it is in fact aimed at beginners and recreational players.
It has a bold marble purple and blue look to it, with the ball name subtly imprinted in white outline.
It has a polyester/plastic coverstock, so will glide down the lane real easy.
It boasts a 3 piece core, but we’re not too sure how that’s supposed to help, presumably it’s set up to really balance the weight out so that the ball doesn’t try to hook as it gets to the pins.
The Amazon link will take you to a 10 pound version of this ball, which is a really great weight for a spare bowling ball. When it comes flying down the lane, the spare pin won’t know what’s hit it!
It’s also available at different weights via Amazon too. Ranging from a barely there 6 pound, up to 15 pound, which is more like your strike ball.
Customer feedback has been phenomenal. On the Amazon page for example, after well over 100 individual customer ratings, the average Amazon customer rating comes in at 4 and a half stars out of 5.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Great customer feedback
- Polyester/plastic coverstock
- Range of different weights
Cons
- A small number of customers discovered cracks in the ball
BEST VALUE
Brunswick is yet another top brand, and their Tzone range is one of their most popular.
I mean, if you look at the Amazon page, you’ll see there have been well over 900 individual customer reviews on this beauty. And better yet the customer feedback has been super positive - the average Amazon customer rating comes in at 4 and a half stars out of 5.
It has a plastic/polyester coverstock, which is perfect for gliding that ball straight to the spare. This is also helped along by the ball’s high gloss polish finish. It’s not going to get that friction at the end which can cause it to hook.
Speaking of which it’s hook potential is just 25, on a scale where 10 is low and 175 is high. This is great news when what you want to concentrate on is just aiming straight at the spare pin,
The high gloss finish means it will whizz down the lane, even in dry conditions.
We love that it’s available in several different colors and styles, because everyone’s got different tastes. Granted some of them look like every other bowling ball, but there are a couple that really stand out, like the pink one.
You’ll never mistake your strike ball with your spare ball if you have this in your arsenal!
It’s also available in different weights, from as little as 6 pounds, all the way up to 16 pounds.
Pros
- Range of colors
- Range of weights
- Plastic/polyester coverstock
- Low hook potential
Cons
- Some customers say it’s only good for spares
RUNNER UP
The color styles available for this spare bowling ball are simply stunning!
It has a polyester coverstock, which is perfect for when you want to roll the ball straight at the spares. It doesn’t generate enough friction on the bowling lane to cause it to hook.
It has a polished finish, which makes it super easy to just glide down the aisle at ferocious speeds, even if the lane is dry.
It has a pancake weight block core, which also helps, and has no flare potential. It will just go straight.
There are 16 different options to choose from in total, all of them with bold and striking (pardon the pun!) colors. We just love the Emerald/Black/Silver.
Customer feedback has been fantastic. On the Amazon page for example, after well over 400 individual customer reviews, the average Amazon customer rating comes in at an impressive 4 and a half stars out of 5.
It’s available in different weights, starting from 10 pounds and going up to 16 pounds. We think with this weight range it's being marketed as a strike ball for beginners, but it makes a great ball for spares too because it goes so straight.
We love that it comes complete with a 2 year warranty. Very reassuring when you’re spending this much money, even if it is one of the more affordable ones.
Pros
- Looks amazing
- Polyester coverstock
- Great customer feedback
Cons
- No red color option
It hasn’t been pre-drilled
RUNNER UP
This is a great bowling ball for knocking down those pesky spares!
What we love about it is that, whereas most spare bowling balls are really good for use in dry lanes, this is a ball that works well in any lane condition.
It has a pearlised polyester coverstock which makes it quite the little glider. And it has a polished finish which certainly helps too.
It also has a symmetrical weight block core, which makes for a very predictable trajectory, and has a very low hook potential, so it should simply head straight to the spare and not hook or curve as it gets nearer.
It comes in just one color style, which is a bit of a bummer. But it’s a nice pale blue, which makes it very easy to identify when it goes through the ball return.
It is available in different weights though, starting at 10 pounds and going up to 16 pounds.
And the customer feedback couldn’t be more positive. At the time of writing this article, the average Amazon customer rating comes in at 5 stars out of 5.
Pros
- Nice pale blue look
- Available in different weights
- Works in all lane conditions
- Symmetrical weight block core
Cons
- Only one color style available
Best Spare Bowling Balls Buying Guide
Ok, here’s a quick run through of everything you might want to think about before you buy.
Even if you already have a good idea of what type of bowling ball you’re looking for, it’s quite reassuring to just use the buying guide as a quick checklist.
Brand
If you’re an experienced bowler, you may well be familiar with some of the brands. And there are many brands to choose from.
Here, we don’t really have a favorite brand as such, we just learn the pros and cons of each ball and pick according to our level of ability, budget, and (call us vain if you like) how they look going down the lane.
Weight
A big key in getting the bowling ball to roll exactly how you want it to is in choosing the right weight.
Most people tend to go for a lighter weight spare bowl compared to their strike ball, because it doesn’t need to knock as many pins down, and you can put more force on a lightweight ball.
However, you don’t want the ball to be so lightweight that you don’t have as much control of its motion. It’s about striking the right balance (pardon the pun!).
Most people would go for a spare ball that’s about 2 pounds lighter than your strike bowl. But ultimately it comes down to whatever works best for you.
Skill level
As we mentioned in our introduction, there are two main tactics you can take to knock down your spares. You can either send your ball straight at the pin or you can go for a hook shot, and have the ball curve to hit the spare.
These two techniques require completely different bowling balls for the shot. But since our site is focused on helping beginners, our top 5 picks only include ones for use with the former technique.
Coverstock
The coverstock of a bowling ball is the outer layer. Bowling balls can come with different types of coverstock material. The coverstock most commonly used for spare bowling balls is plastic or polyester.
This is because it is much harder and less porous, which means it has the least friction on the bowling lane and is easier to control, and less likely to hook or curve. It’s your best chance of getting a straight shot.
Weight Block
Inside every bowling ball is a weight block, also known as the core, where the weight of the ball is distributed. The more symmetrical this weight block is, the more control you have over its movement, because it’s less likely to hook or curve.
It’s worth noting at this point that these weight blocks are never designed to be perfectly symmetrical because the design has to account for the placement of the finger holes.
So what you’re really looking for in the weight block of your spare bowling ball, is one that’s as close to symmetrical as possible while at the same time accounting for the placement of the finger holes.
Budget
All bowling balls, including (if not especially) spares are available at different levels of budget, with some costing around $50 or so, while others can cost more than threes times as much at around $150 or more.
It’s really hard to say whether these more expensive bowling balls can actually improve your game, because there are so many other factors influencing your shot, from ability level through to the oiliness of the lane.
Plus, if you tend to hit a lot of strikes, and you don’t really need a spare bowling ball too much, then you may not want to spend too much money on it if you can help it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a spare ball?
If you’re a beginner or improver then most likely you don’t hit a strike every time.
Instead there are occasions where your first shot might hook a little toward the end, knock some pins down for sure, but leave a pesky spare on the side.
If this is quite normal for you, you might like to invest in a spare bowling ball because they have slightly different properties to your regular bowling ball to achieve different effects.
While a regular bowling ball is designed to knock up to ten pins down in one shot, a spare ball is designed to knock down one or two, so does not need to be as heavy or have such a powerful rotation. So it will have a differently shaped core and a smoother surface.
What is the best spare bowling ball?
There are some great spare bowling balls out there, and we’ve shown you 5 of the best. We picked the Hammer OTB Black Widow as our number 1. But the real answer is that the best spare bowling ball is the one that works best for you.
Any bowling ball manufacturer can produce a plastic or polyester coverstock, but ultimately how well the spare ball knocks down your spares depends on a number of different things.
Like how oily the lane is, how well you can play, and whether you’ve managed to find the perfect weight for your spare bowling ball, to give you that perfect level of control.
Should my spare ball be lighter?
This is a very common question. And it’s a good question too. To be honest, when you look through the online forums on the subject, public opinion on this is pretty much split.
Some people argue that bowling is all about consistency and say that your spare bowling ball should weigh the same as your strike ball. And that’s a good point, and well made, too.
To be honest though it’s about the whole package, and not just weight and coverstock. You also need to think about the weight distribution.
More important than the weight of the spare bowling ball is how symmetrical the weight block core is, since this plays a big part in producing a more even roll that will prevent it from hooking or curving at the last minute.
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